-irse

Real Conditions with -irse

Level 4

The Aorist Conditional (-irse) is the standard way to say 'if' for situations that are genuinely possible or generally true. It combines the Aorist tense with the conditional suffix.

How It Works

The -irse pattern is a compound construction. It is formed by taking the verb root, adding the appropriate Aorist suffix, and then adding the conditional copula, which is derived from the auxiliary verb ise.

1. Formation:
The structure is: [Verb Root] + [Aorist Suffix] + [Conditional Suffix] + [Personal Ending].

  • Gel-ir-se-m (If I come)
  • Yap-ar-sa-n (If you do)
  • Oku-r-sa (If he/she/it reads)

2. Choosing the Aorist:
The vowel in the suffix depends on the specific Aorist form of the verb. If the verb root ends in a vowel (like oku-), simply add -r. For roots ending in a consonant, all multi-syllable verbs use -ir/-ır/-ur/-ür. While most single-syllable verbs use -er/-ar, there are 13 highly common exceptions that take -ir/-ır/-ur/-ür, such as gelmek (gelir), olmak (olur), and bilmek (bilir). See choosing the Aorist ending and the thirteen exceptions for details.

3. Negative Form:
To form the negative, use the negative Aorist suffix -mez/-maz before the conditional ending. For example: gel-mez-se-n (if you don't come), yap-maz-sa (if he/she doesn't do).

4. Real vs. Hypothetical:
This pattern is for 'real' conditions. If you say Yağmur yağarsa, you are looking at the clouds and thinking it might actually rain. If you use the simple -se (Yağmur yağsa), you are likely wishing for rain during a drought.

5. Personal Endings:
This construction uses 'Type 2' personal endings (the ones used in the past tense: -m, -n, -k, -niz, -lar). For the 3rd person plural, while gelirseler is grammatically possible, it is much more common to place the plural suffix before the conditional: gelirlerse (if they come).

Examples (5)

  1. Vaktim olursa yanına uğrarım.

    If I have time, I will stop by your place.

    Word by Word: My time if-it-becomes to-your-side I-stop-by.

    This expresses a real future possibility. The speaker believes having time is a likely scenario.

  2. Sorun olursa lütfen çekinmeden sor.

    If there is a problem, please ask without hesitation.

    Word by Word: Problem if-it-becomes please without-hesitating ask.

    A standard instruction using the Aorist conditional to cover a potential situation.

  3. Bu ilacı içersen daha iyi hissedersin.

    If you take this medicine, you will feel better.

    Word by Word: This medicine-acc if-you-drink more good you-feel.

    A logical consequence or general rule. Taking the medicine leads to feeling better.

  4. Hava güzel olursa pikniğe gideriz.

    If the weather is nice, we will go to the picnic.

    Word by Word: Weather beautiful if-it-becomes to-picnic we-go.

    A condition based on a likely event (the weather being good).

  5. Çok çalışırsan başarılı olursun.

    If you work hard, you will be successful.

    Word by Word: Much if-you-work successful you-become.

    A general cause-and-effect statement about success.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the simple conditional (-se) for likely events.

    Yarın gelse, sinemaya gideriz.
    Yarın gelirse, sinemaya gideriz.

    Using 'gelse' makes it sound like a remote wish or hypothetical. For a plan that depends on a likely event, 'gelirse' is correct.

  • Choosing the wrong Aorist vowel for exceptions.

    Vaktin olarsa bana yardım et.
    Vaktin olursa bana yardım et.

    While 'olmak' is a single-syllable verb, it is one of the 13 exceptions that takes '-ur' instead of '-ar'. You must use the correct Aorist stem before adding '-sa'.

  • Incorrect negative formation.

    Eğer gelmirsen haber ver.
    Gelmezsen haber ver.

    The negative of the Aorist conditional uses the '-mez/-maz' suffix. Do not use the present continuous negative '-m(i)yor' or simple '-me' when forming this condition.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

-irseLevel 4Real Conditions with -irse

Learn This First

The '-irse' pattern (Real Conditions) is a compound grammatical structure. To understand it, you must first be comfortable with the Aorist tense (-ir/-er), as it forms the base of the verb, and the conditional suffix (-se/-sa), which provides the 'if' meaning. Knowledge of how to select the correct aorist vowel is also essential for proper conjugation.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

-saise